Thursday, August 12, 2010
On a United aircraft. I am sitting by the window. Practically the first thing, the man in front of me leans his chair way back, until my tray table is poking my stomach and I have no room to move. I asked him politely to move it up again, and he did. It's an older aircraft, and the T.V.s are located every few seats apart, with a larger screen at the front of the craft. I can see both from my seat. The boys complain, but I've never been on an international flight before. Three of us sit in one row, with one behind in the window seat of the next row. The middle seat in that row is empty, so the guys take turns shifting about during the long flight (about 12 hours.)
They show several films during the flight, including Iron Man 2, something with Queen Latifah, Date Night (which is the only one I watch), and The Last Song, a Miley Cyrus film which I give up on after about 7 minutes. They all have Chinese subtititles. I wonder what they say. In order to hear the film, you just plug the headphones located in the pouch in front of you into the armrest of your seat. Then you can listen to the movie or the radio.
The ground is covered with a thick layer of clouds for most of the trip. The crew lowers the lights in the cabin of the plane and everyone shuts their window shades. The crazy thing is, throughout the entire trip, it never gets dark. Every time I open the window, screamingly bright sunlight floods in. It's as if we are chasing daylight, following time. We're flying over the Pacific Ocean, so there's not much to see anyway.
5 a.m. Hong Kong time, Thursday, August 12
(Noon, Pacific Time, Wednesday, August 11)
There's been some rough going through the fog. I can't see a thing outside the window. White steam is blowing over the wings; at least I hope it's steam and not smoke! We surge into blue sky, and the clouds below look like a lake of whipped cream after it's softened, as on top of hot chocolate. The voice coming out of the P.A. system is speaking in Chinese.
We have some turbulence now and again. it doesn't bother me, really. I spend some time reading, doing crossword puzzles and sudoku (thank you, Mr. Rick!) and practicing my Tamil letters. Raja is curious about my study. I'm not sure what he thinks of it, but I really want to learn some of the language. He says I should learn Hindi instead, as it's easier, being inferior (of course) to the ancient language of Tamil. (He's kidding, I think.) There is some racial tension between Northern Indians and Southern Indians due to language, culture, and (unfortunately) skin color. The Dravidians, who are the indigenous people of India, are very dark skinned, while the Aryans, invaders from the North (albeit 5000 years ago) are lighter brown. Raja says that Tamilians don't like it when people speak Hindi to them (although it's spoken there), and would rather you speak English. English is India's official language of business, and most people in India speak at least some English. Raja tells me that he was once arrested in a protest against a proposed law that would make Hindi the offical language of India. I would have protested, too! Tamil culture is ancient and precious, and needs to be preserved.
Monkey is resting in the seats next to me, and his foot is falling asleep. I rub it a little to wake it up, and get rid of the "pins and needles" as my mom used to call it. I get up to go to the bathroom, which allows me to stretch my legs and walk about a bit. The bathroom on a plane is very small and cramped, but hey, when you gotta go...and on a 12-14 hour flight, you'll probably have to go sometime.
I finally get out my journal to write at 9:50 (p.m.?) Pacific time. We have 4 hours and 42 minutes to our destination, and soon we will be flying over land again. First, Tokyo, Japan.
The guy in front of me is hacking loogies. I hope he's using a handkerchief. The Man Cub is asleep next to me. He's been lying on my leg for hours. I have to go to the bathroom pretty badly, and my robot* is completely numb. I slept for abot an hour during that Miley Cyrus movie, but I'm so tired that my eyes hurt and are watering. It is still a pure sheet of fog outside the window.
11:46 p.m. Pacific time.
we are flying at an altitude of 38, 057 feet. We have two hours and 43 minutes to Hong Kong. We have travelled 5, 511 miles from San Francisco. We are just past Tokyo, and skirting the south side of Japan, between Osaka and Hiroshima.
Hong Kong Airport
Hong Kong, from what I can see, is beautiful. It is hot and humid here, even inside the airport (I don't go outside.) It's about 90 *F outside, and doesn't feel much different from where I am standing. I am sweaty and covered with lint from airline blankets. I have managed to brush my teeth on the airplane before we landed, but my hair feels limp and gross, and I feel generally dingy. I know that I'll be able to shower in Mumbai, and that helps a little.
Security isn't that much of a trial, but I forget to take my barrettes out of my pocket, and I beep again. I guess I need some extra help learning. Don't I always say it takes one to know one?
It even smells humid in here. It reminds me of New York, and I think that maybe humidity has its own, unique smell: thick, earthy, and sweet.
The guys go get something to eat & leave me with the luggage. I want to go take more pictures, but for security reasons, you can't ever leave your luggage unattended in an airport. Someone may steal it, or they may consider it a "suspicious package" and think you are a terrorist. Despite what some of my students may think of me, I am not a terrorist. I read a little bit until they come back with sweets and juice. I drink a bottle of orange juice. It says "Made in Hong Kong" right on the bottle. It is pulpy, but tastes refreshing.
I'm surprisingly awake for only having had a few 30-90 minute cat naps throughout the night. There is a 15 hour difference between Hong Kong time and Pacific time, but only a 12 1/2 hour difference between Pacific time and Chennai time. This means we are going forward in time, then backwards again. It feels kind of like science fiction. The cabin of the plane was very noisy; not just from people talking, but from the sound of the plane. I could have worn the earplugs I brought with me, but then they would block out all communication as well, and I want to be able to hear the guys or the flight attendants if they speak to me.
It's amazing to think that I'm in Asia right now: a whole different continent. When I was little, I used to try to dig holes to China in the sand at the beach. Now I'm practically in China. Who knew I'd ever be this close?
More soon, be good.
*("robot"= rear end. It's a code word we use in my classroom.)
On a United aircraft. I am sitting by the window. Practically the first thing, the man in front of me leans his chair way back, until my tray table is poking my stomach and I have no room to move. I asked him politely to move it up again, and he did. It's an older aircraft, and the T.V.s are located every few seats apart, with a larger screen at the front of the craft. I can see both from my seat. The boys complain, but I've never been on an international flight before. Three of us sit in one row, with one behind in the window seat of the next row. The middle seat in that row is empty, so the guys take turns shifting about during the long flight (about 12 hours.)
They show several films during the flight, including Iron Man 2, something with Queen Latifah, Date Night (which is the only one I watch), and The Last Song, a Miley Cyrus film which I give up on after about 7 minutes. They all have Chinese subtititles. I wonder what they say. In order to hear the film, you just plug the headphones located in the pouch in front of you into the armrest of your seat. Then you can listen to the movie or the radio.
The ground is covered with a thick layer of clouds for most of the trip. The crew lowers the lights in the cabin of the plane and everyone shuts their window shades. The crazy thing is, throughout the entire trip, it never gets dark. Every time I open the window, screamingly bright sunlight floods in. It's as if we are chasing daylight, following time. We're flying over the Pacific Ocean, so there's not much to see anyway.
5 a.m. Hong Kong time, Thursday, August 12
(Noon, Pacific Time, Wednesday, August 11)
There's been some rough going through the fog. I can't see a thing outside the window. White steam is blowing over the wings; at least I hope it's steam and not smoke! We surge into blue sky, and the clouds below look like a lake of whipped cream after it's softened, as on top of hot chocolate. The voice coming out of the P.A. system is speaking in Chinese.
We have some turbulence now and again. it doesn't bother me, really. I spend some time reading, doing crossword puzzles and sudoku (thank you, Mr. Rick!) and practicing my Tamil letters. Raja is curious about my study. I'm not sure what he thinks of it, but I really want to learn some of the language. He says I should learn Hindi instead, as it's easier, being inferior (of course) to the ancient language of Tamil. (He's kidding, I think.) There is some racial tension between Northern Indians and Southern Indians due to language, culture, and (unfortunately) skin color. The Dravidians, who are the indigenous people of India, are very dark skinned, while the Aryans, invaders from the North (albeit 5000 years ago) are lighter brown. Raja says that Tamilians don't like it when people speak Hindi to them (although it's spoken there), and would rather you speak English. English is India's official language of business, and most people in India speak at least some English. Raja tells me that he was once arrested in a protest against a proposed law that would make Hindi the offical language of India. I would have protested, too! Tamil culture is ancient and precious, and needs to be preserved.
Monkey is resting in the seats next to me, and his foot is falling asleep. I rub it a little to wake it up, and get rid of the "pins and needles" as my mom used to call it. I get up to go to the bathroom, which allows me to stretch my legs and walk about a bit. The bathroom on a plane is very small and cramped, but hey, when you gotta go...and on a 12-14 hour flight, you'll probably have to go sometime.
I finally get out my journal to write at 9:50 (p.m.?) Pacific time. We have 4 hours and 42 minutes to our destination, and soon we will be flying over land again. First, Tokyo, Japan.
The guy in front of me is hacking loogies. I hope he's using a handkerchief. The Man Cub is asleep next to me. He's been lying on my leg for hours. I have to go to the bathroom pretty badly, and my robot* is completely numb. I slept for abot an hour during that Miley Cyrus movie, but I'm so tired that my eyes hurt and are watering. It is still a pure sheet of fog outside the window.
11:46 p.m. Pacific time.
we are flying at an altitude of 38, 057 feet. We have two hours and 43 minutes to Hong Kong. We have travelled 5, 511 miles from San Francisco. We are just past Tokyo, and skirting the south side of Japan, between Osaka and Hiroshima.
Hong Kong Airport
Hong Kong, from what I can see, is beautiful. It is hot and humid here, even inside the airport (I don't go outside.) It's about 90 *F outside, and doesn't feel much different from where I am standing. I am sweaty and covered with lint from airline blankets. I have managed to brush my teeth on the airplane before we landed, but my hair feels limp and gross, and I feel generally dingy. I know that I'll be able to shower in Mumbai, and that helps a little.
Security isn't that much of a trial, but I forget to take my barrettes out of my pocket, and I beep again. I guess I need some extra help learning. Don't I always say it takes one to know one?
It even smells humid in here. It reminds me of New York, and I think that maybe humidity has its own, unique smell: thick, earthy, and sweet.
The guys go get something to eat & leave me with the luggage. I want to go take more pictures, but for security reasons, you can't ever leave your luggage unattended in an airport. Someone may steal it, or they may consider it a "suspicious package" and think you are a terrorist. Despite what some of my students may think of me, I am not a terrorist. I read a little bit until they come back with sweets and juice. I drink a bottle of orange juice. It says "Made in Hong Kong" right on the bottle. It is pulpy, but tastes refreshing.
I'm surprisingly awake for only having had a few 30-90 minute cat naps throughout the night. There is a 15 hour difference between Hong Kong time and Pacific time, but only a 12 1/2 hour difference between Pacific time and Chennai time. This means we are going forward in time, then backwards again. It feels kind of like science fiction. The cabin of the plane was very noisy; not just from people talking, but from the sound of the plane. I could have worn the earplugs I brought with me, but then they would block out all communication as well, and I want to be able to hear the guys or the flight attendants if they speak to me.
It's amazing to think that I'm in Asia right now: a whole different continent. When I was little, I used to try to dig holes to China in the sand at the beach. Now I'm practically in China. Who knew I'd ever be this close?
More soon, be good.
*("robot"= rear end. It's a code word we use in my classroom.)
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